"Images of America - Winchester (MA)
By Frank H. Sleeper
Joyce L. graciously loaned me her copy of this book so I could scan the sections regarding Vincenzo Cefalo's family. If you'd like to purchase a copy you can find it here
on Amazon.
on Amazon.
"Vincenzo and Theodora Cefalo (Chefalo) about 1960 at their Cedar Street home in Winchester. Vincenzo came in 1902 from a small town near Naples. He left because his sister was going to marry a man he didn't like, according to his son, Harry Chefalo, now eighty-eight years old himself. Vincenzo never went back to Italy. He died at age seventy-six, and Theodora died at age ninety-two. Vincenzo worked at the J.O. Whitten Co., which made gelatin and jells. He retired at a relatively old age. There were very few Italians in Winchester when he came in 1902."
Vincenzo sounds like quite the character. He was born on 21 March 1876 in Torre le Nocelle to Errico Cefalo and Maria de Sanctis. Theodora was born as Dorodea Cefalo on 8 October 1874 in Torre to Antonio and Carmina Todesca.
Vincenzo had four younger sisters and all but one died in childhood. Maria Grazia Cefalo was born on 22 May 1882. Her birth act makes note of her death (2 December 1949 in Torre), as well as her marriage to Flaminio Bevilacqua on 17 June 1903. I wonder what Flaminio did to tick off Vincenzo?
Vincenzo was naturalized on 13 February 1928. His petition shows an address of 1 Cedar Street. Apparently the current owners of that home are doing a bit of remodeling...
1 Cedar Street, Winchester MA
Naturalization Index
"Harry" Chefalo would be Errico Cefalo, oldest son of Vincenzo and Dorodea, born 29 July 1906 in Winchester.... and the first Italian-American Selectman in Winchester.
Pedigree of Vincenzo Cefalo
Pedigree of Dorodea "Teodora" Cefalo
wow, these are my great-grandparents! My mother's mother's parents. Vincenzo died before I was born, and Teodora (grammy) died when I was a toddler.
ReplyDeleteThe house at 1 Cedar St. is still owned by the family.
What an amazing blog to run across...!